Terminal connector



Aug. 7, 1945. E. H. AYERS TERMINALCONNECTOR Filed Oct. 15, 1943 Inventor. Edger l-l. A 5ers His Atto'rngg.

Patented Aug. 7, 1945' LW/My i V .lmoreparticularly to terminal connectors of-vthe detachable typesuch as -used to Tjoin'wires, or r ,,cablesr.to:the-terminalsof. an electric switch or 1 contactonfand fhasfor its; object a-" simple and] '"reliableiconnectorz for-'connectingf'aplurality of v .wi'reslor cables toa' terminal member. Inzcarryingrout my. invention in-oneform I 1 provide ta; :tubularf member @having an ioblong crosses'ection. whichLr-member isydeta'chably mountd bntheend oi the'terminalby means" "bfa. portiongof reduced lwidth on'theterminal extendingthrough the tubular member and ter minating on each .sideofWthe tubular member -sil'l projecting ,shouldersgtogether witha clampmg.- member-extendingr through the "tubular member.;and providediwithjshoulders for secur- "sing-it:=in-;position. At thetend of ithe tubular .:-member -.adjacent, the. terminalilprovide: a. screw for clampingtherends of wires or cables-inserted.

nvention relates. to terminal}connectors;

'PA'l ENT OFFICE;

a v af TER MlNAL counnc'ron Schenectady, assignor to neralElectric Compan'yya corporation pt lAppnamn'oaattr 1943 Serial 516150 6370 i if "me 1 =3 a 11 hole :1 in wh'ichdits a clamping screw l8. *As

shown the pair of shoulders ion each "side of the terminal andthe clamping member "embrace the "adjacent side of' the" member l5 thereby holdingthe me'mb'er I5 onth'e terminal I and holdingthe clamping member in the member l5.

For thepurpose ofsecuring oneof the wires or cables more firmly, the lower end of the mem-s h ris shaped: with a V cross-section and a 'zplurality'ofprojections 19 aremrovidedon the inner surface of "each sideof the V-shaped por- "tion'. Theseprojections are .pref eraby' made ,by

striking indentation'sinto the metal of the'memlber ironfthe 'exteriorgi'as indi cated 'inf Fig. l. "jAlso, more firmly-to secure the ends ofthe wires or cables,-v the clamping member I6 is formed with an inverted V-shaped cross sectionk'f Its 1 upper surfaceg'as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and also roughened-by striking indentations in its surbetweentheeterminaland clamping member and between the clampingrmember andcthe endioff thei'tubular.member. g I p For a more complete understandingof my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing; Fig. 1 of which is a side elevation view-of a terminal connector embodying my invention asv utilized to plant two cables througha contactor terminal; while Fig. 2 is an exploded viewin perspectiveof the parts of the connector.

opposite Iha ve shown my invention in one form as applied to the electrically conducting terminal gmember Ill of an electric switch or contactor having a stationary contact ll surrounded by a ducting relation. It will be understood that the terminal l0 is'secured suitably to a support (not 'sho'wnl o n which also are mounted additional i-terminals and contacts, as well as movable contacts and operating means therefor;

' 'cup like. shieldsecured to it in electrically con- In accordance with my invention, I form the end of the terminal I0 as a strip or strap and 'provide-a' portion l2 of reduced 'width with.

shoulder projections I3 and, [4 at its outer and inner ends. The width of'this portion I2 is slightly less than the inner width dimension of a rigid tubular member l5 having an oblong cross section. I also provide a separate clamping member it; having a shapersimilar to the end of the terminal, it being provided with a central portion 'having a, width somewhat less than the internal width'of the member l5 and having its lower surface (not'shown) is knurled or face. Likewise the portion 12 offt he terminal,

" is formed with an inverted V-shaped cross sec 7 mounted onthe end of theqterminal, it being As shown in Fig. 1, the elongated member I5 is slipped in place by first turning it approximately 90 degrees from'the relative positions shown in' Figs. 1 and 2,'then slipping it over the shoulders l3.and turning'to an uprightposition on. the portion l2. The clamping member I6 is inserted in the tubular member by turning. it through an angle of approximately 90 degrees before insertion in a similar manner.v It will be observed that the portion .l2 has its upper or convex side adjacent the upper end of'the memher while the clamping member 46 isarranged with its convex side adjacent the concave side of the portion l2.

Asshownin Fig. 1, the ends of conductors,

such as the wires or cables 20 and 2|, are inserted ,tightly against the portion l2 of the terminal pr jecting shoulders at each end, One end of the tubular member is provided with a tapped whereby the tubular member is pulled upward and the ends of the two wires clamped firmly in 7 place. Thusthe'lower end of the tubular membar with the projections I9 clamps the end of the -wire 2l tightly against't he lower or concave side of the member I6, while'at the same time the upper knurled convex side of the member I6 is forced tightly against the wire 20, thus securing the wire '20 between the member 16 and What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A connector comprising a terminal strap, a rigid flattened tubular member slidably mounted on said terminal strap, a clamping member slidably mounted in said tubular member, said terminal strap and said clamping member having V-shaped cross sections and said terminal strap being positioned in said tubular member with its convex side adjacent one end of said tubular member and said clamping member having its convex side adjacent the concave side of said side of said portion, and a clamping screw in the end of said tubular member adjacent said portion for engaging said portion whereby the ends of conductors inserted respectively between said portion'and said clamping member and between said clamping member and the other end of said tubular member are clamped by said screw in good electrically conducting relation 'with the end of said terminal.

3. A connector comprising a terminal provided with a portion of reduced width with shoulders terminal strap, and a clamping screw in the end of said tubular member adjacent said terminal strap for engaging said terminal strap whereby the ends of conductors inserted respectively between said terminal strapv and said clamping member and betweensaid clamping member and the other end of said tubular member are clamped by said screw in good electrically conducting relation with said terminal strap.

2. A connector comprising a terminal member provided with a portion of reduced width with at each end of said portion, a rigid flattened tubular member mounted on said portion and secured in place ,by said shoulders at'each end of said portion, a clamping member. extending through said tubular member 'havingprojections at each end for securing it in said tubular member, said. portion and said clamping member having inverted V shapes and said clamping member being provided witha roughened upper convexsurface, a clamping screw in one end of said tubular member for engaging said portion, the'lower end of said tubular member being V- shapedrand projections on the inner sides of said lower portion whereby the ends ofrconductors inserted respectively between the concave side of said portion and'the roughened convex side of said clamping member and between the convex side of said clamping member and said other end of said tubular member are clamped said terminal.

EDGAR H. AYERS. 

